Archive | Tropical Fish Keeping

The Panda Garra (Garra flavatra) or “Panda Loach” is endemic to the Rakhine Yoma/Arakan mountain range in Rakhine state, western Myanmar (Burma) and although incorrectly labeled as a loach; is often sold to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Clown Loach, Panda Loach, Banded Butterfly Loach, or Rainbow Loach. Although the Panda Garra and it’s […]

The Red Hook (Myloplus rubripinnis) is found throughout Northern South America in the Amazon, Rio Orinoco, and many of the other major river systems. It has been collected in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela from the densely vegetated slower moving rivers and streams in these regions. In the aquarium trade, Red Hooks […]

Silver Dollar (Metynnis argenteus) is a generic name that is attributed to a number of tropical species in the Characidae (Serrasalmidae) family that are closely related to the South American Pacu and Piranha. All are popular with tropical fish keeping enthusiasts. This Silver Dollar (Metynnis argenteus), is endemic to the Rio Tapajós drainage, in Brazil […]

Silver Dollar (Metynnis hypsauchen) is a generic name tagged to a number of tropical species in the Characidae (now Serrasalmidae) family which are closely related to the South American Pacu and Piranha; all of which are popular with tropical fish keeping enthusiasts. The common Silver Dollar (Metynnis hypsauchen) is distributed throughout parts of Brazil, Guyana, […]

Astatotilapia Desfontainii is an extremely rare, gravely threatened, and possibly extinct cichlid species that is native to Algeria and Tunisia, in Northern Africa, where it is found in freshwater springs, oasis, and in the canals and ditches of irrigated lands Because of habitat loss partially caused by the irrigation of date palms, Astatotilapia desfontainii had […]

The Jordan Mouthbrooder (Haplochromis flaviijosephi or Astatotilapia flaviijosephi) is the only haplochromine cichlid whose natural range is not in the continent of Africa. It is found in rivers, freshwater lakes, and freshwater springs in Israel and Syria, and because of habitat loss, is considered endangered. There are a small number of isolated populations in the […]

The Convict Cichlid (Archocentrus nigrofasciatus)also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Zebra cichlid, is found in the lakes, rivers, and streams of Central America, primarily from El Salvador to Guatemala on the Pacific coast, and from Honduras to Guatemala on the Atlantic side. Although Convict cichlids are found in lakes, […]

The Kribensis (Pelvicachromis pulcher) or “Krib” as many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts call them, is endemic to Nigeria and Cameroon, Africa. Kribs are a popular aquarium species that are sold under various names such as; the common krib, red krib, super red krib, rainbow krib, rainbow cichlid, and purple cichlid Although some populations of Kribensis […]

Burton’s Mouthbrooder (Astatotilapia burtoni) has been found in Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia, and is considered a Victorian cichlid from the middle of Lake Tanganyika, however, it has also been collected from Lake Kivu, which is north of Lake Tanganyika and west of Lake Victoria. Burton’s Mouthbrooders, synonymous with Haplochromis burtoni, prefer living in the […]

The African Butterfly Cichlid (Anomalochromis thomasi) is a small riverine cichlid that inhabits the heavily vegetated forest streams of Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia in Western Africa. African Butterfly Cichlids prefer living in slightly acidic, oxygen rich streams with a great deal of overhanging vegetation. The fallen leaves, branches, etc. in the water column stains […]

The Spotted Sleeper Goby (Eleotris picta) is a large species that is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Spiny Cheek Sleeper Goby, Water Cow, or Water Cow Goby. Several species of Sleeper Gobies are found in fresh and brackish water rivers, estuaries, and coastal regions throughout the Indo-west Pacific, from the eastern […]

The Black Spotted Eel (Mastacembelus dayi) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Polka Dot Eel or Spotted Spiny Eel is found in Asia from the Irrawady and Chindwin river drainages of western Myanmar, and eastern Thailand. Black Spotted Eels are found in rivers and streams with a lot of moving water, dense […]

The Rhino Pleco (Pterygoplichthys scrophus) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Alligator Pleco or Chocolate Pleco is found in the Marañon and Ucayali River basins at Nauta, Peru. Rhino Plecos can be identified by the number of rays they have in their dorsal fins. Most plecos, like the larger Hypostomus species, have […]

The Red Devil Pleco (Pseudacanthicus pirarara) is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Scarlet Cactus Pleco, Cactus Pleco, Scarlet Pleco, or their formal identification as L025. It is a relatively new unnamed species that was discovered in the lower to middle Rio Xingu, Sao Felix, Senador José Porfírio, Pedral do Caitucá, the […]

The Convict Julie (Julidochromis regani) is a slender, torpedo shaped cichlid species that is endemic to Lake Tanganyika and found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Tanzania, and Zambia. Similar to Marliers Julie (Julidochromis Marlieri), the Convict Julie (Julidochromis regani) is a “dwarf cichlid” that is easy to breed and care for as […]

Acquiring Killifish for the home aquarium can be a challenging proposition. With only a few exceptions, most pet shops do not normally have a supply of killifish, and those that do usually bring in Fundulopanchax gardneri, Aphyosemion australe, or Fundulopanchax sjoestedti. The more unusual and rarer species are seldom, if ever, found in tropical fish […]

Killifish are a group of egg laying tooth carps that comprise over 1270 species from various families including Aplocheilidae, Cyprinodontidae, Fundulidae, Profundulidae, Valenciida, and Rivulidae. Of the 1270 species discovered, about 350 of these are found within the equatorial belts throughout the world. The largest family Rivulidae, contains over 320 of the known species. Although […]

The Blue Gularis Killifish (Fundulopanchax sjoestedti) is native to the water holes, streams, and marsh areas of Nigeria and Cameroon, Africa. Many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts regard the Blue Gularis Killifish as one of the best known and most sought after of all killifishes. Fundulopanchax sjoestedti is a large, colorful, semi aggressive, killifish that possesses […]

The Common Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus), also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Moonfish, Southern Platyfish, or Mickey Mouse Platy is native to North and Central America, but is also found in Belize and Central Mexico. Platys share similar habitats with, and are closely related to Green Swordtails, which they will readily interbreed with […]